Chapter 5: Incompatibility

It’s cool. Though I have no complaints working by myself, it feels nice to have a group behind you. Four people striving to uncover the mystery of both past and present. Unfortunately it didn’t appear to be progressing quite so smoothly. After all, humans are complex creatures.

Mary and Forrest were already meandering around who knows where despite it only being six thirty in the morning. That left me alone with Chloe. Unfortunately I had just succeeded in chasing her out of the dorm with a barrage of questions; a result of my failure of an attempt to work out the reason behind her current emotional state. I smashed my head into the pillow; this was not working. What would it take to get this group working together? Well no use just lying here. I crawled out of bed and slipped into yesterday’s clothes before heading out of the door.

I was quite surprised to find Chloe sitting against the cabin, right next to the door. I guess I severely overestimated her stamina. With a sigh I sat next to her. Maybe I had another chance.

‘You just seem so different from yesterday; I just want to help if something is bothering you.’ Without saying a word she stood up. No, not again.

‘The four of us are meant to be a team; we should be there to help each other.’ She started walking.

‘Wait,’ I stood up. ‘I just want to help. What happened last night?’ She swung around.

‘Look, I don’t need your help,’ she shouted, striding aggressively towards me. Why couldn’t I have just left her alone? ‘I can handle anything this whacked out camp dishes out without your help OK!’ she was centimetres from me. If I didn’t have the wall behind me I would have toppled over backwards. She held my gaze for an agonizing few seconds before retreating.

‘Just leave me alone.’ She stalked off, crashing against a tree barely twenty metres away.

I collapsed against the wall, eyes closed, already exhausted. However, someone soon sat down beside me.

‘Now that was quite the show.’ It was a guy’s voice, which I didn’t recognise. I opened my eyes yet I still failed to remember ever meeting the guy.

‘Sorry, who are you?’ He smiled.

‘I think the better question is, who are you?’ I tried to shake off my run in with Chloe.

‘I’m Dylan, from Labresci’ wait, did he even answer my question. He started laughing.

‘My names Tyler, Plotovetus.’ I just stared at him. ‘I’m currently undertaking a degree in psychology, specialising in how people deal with confusion.’

‘And I’m your guinea pig?’

‘No. I was really just trying to justify why I’m playing with you.’ He had successfully paralysed my mind.

‘Now, what’s going on between you and that girl over there, she seems somewhat upset.’

‘I don’t know, just another example of how my group doesn’t work well together.’ I tried to laugh, ‘at least she didn’t kill me.’

‘Yeah, well, she looks pretty harmless to me, just your typical Gotums chick.’ Despite the distance to Chloe, a wave of fear passed over me in case she had heard that. He was smiling again.

‘What’s her name?’ he asked.

‘Chloe’

‘I find the whole situation of Gotums very interesting,’ he continued. ‘Within ten years its economic state has flipped, dragging down all those who couldn’t get out. Due to that they developed quickly into a society which felt trapped, defensive and awfully pale; all likely linked to an event that happened here. All fine by your calculations?’

‘And that’s why you’re here?’ I asked.

‘Something like that. However, the fact that so many people also had a reason to be here at exactly the same time throws doubt on whether my reason was the real reason.’

It appeared that he had the same thoughts as I had.

‘Is it possible to manipulate people’s thoughts?’ I asked. He thought for a bit.

‘I guess they could have used subliminal messages. Expose the population to things that will bring up memories of the camp as well as the return date. That’s my only theory all though I don’t know how plausible it is.’ Well at least that made a little sense.

‘Who do you think planned this?’ I asked; feeling slightly enthused finally being able to talk like this with someone.

‘Someone with a lot of power, that’s for sure. The moon over Gotums attests to that.’ He sighed, ‘And yet here we are, at a summer camp, making kites. It all seems too trivial.’

‘I already feel swamped. And then there is the task of trying to get my group working productively.’ I gestured to Chloe who was still sitting by the tree.

‘Ah yes, back to that. So what is exactly the problem? An unwillingness to accept your authority? Too many inner group tensions? Staring at the girls too much? I may be able to help; but probably not.’ I tried to think of a situation that matched any of those. I had never even tried to gain authority, instead just hoping that Forrest would step up to the mark. However, the fact that the members of the group, two in particular, grated together was all too true.

‘We just don’t work well together.’

‘Well, I’m sure some group building exercises will sort that out.’ He laughed, ‘maybe summer camp is a good place to be right now.’ He got up and took a few steps towards where the meeting area was which was slowly being filled by congregating groups ....

‘Let’s go and get this meeting out of the way shall we. And keep an eye on Chloe, see what she does.’ I stood up and followed his instructions. As we walked away, Chloe also got up and began to follow at a distance.

‘Were you expecting that to happen?’ I asked.

‘Well she was looking at us for most of that time,’ he replied. ‘Loyalties to you, or the group as a whole, take your pick. Either way the situation may not be as dire as you proclaim.’

Reaching the main meeting area, I could see no sign of any of my remaining two group members. Tyler was more successful at locating his group. They were sitting on one of the many benches made from halved logs which had been set up since the previous night. Tyler obviously saw me looking around for my remaining group members.

‘You can sit with me. I’m sure they’ll find us.’ I gladly accepted his invitation. The bench could comfortably hold two groups anyway. Chloe sat on the end, still maintaining her independence. Thankfully I had someone to talk too.

It wasn’t long before Forrest and Marie arrived, their presence reigniting the fears of an inner-group feud.

‘Who the hell gave you permission to wear my clothes?’ barked Chloe. At least it wasn’t directed at me.

‘But I needed them, and you let me borrow some yesterday.’ Maria replied, quite aggressively.

‘Yeah but this will be the second time. What do you think I am, an op shop or something, you have your own clothes.’ Now maybe Tyler will understand the problem I face.

‘No I don’t,’ Maria stated matter of fact. ‘While you were sulking last night, they were stolen by that hateful Jaclyn. I think at least you owe me some compensation.’ Chloe stood up, ready to fight.

‘Compensation? You stretched what I gave you yesterday, whose gonna compensate that? Clothes aren’t cheap you know.’ How can I fix this?

‘Aww, poor Maria. Having to wear povo clothes. Simply terrible.’ I was surprised as that came from the other side of me. The argument stalled. Maria froze as she saw the girl who was sitting next to Tyler. Chloe looked a little more fiery. Almost everyone around us was staring at what was evolving.

‘Why are we sitting next to her?’ yelled Maria, her anger strangely directed at me.

I tried to formulate an answer, but my mind refused to cooperate.

‘Oh, he’s good friends with our group,’ spoke the girl. I hadn’t even talked to her. ‘He obviously needed an escape from you delinquents.’ Chloe stormed over, I was sure she was going to hit her.

‘Quiet please.’ The voice of the head counsellor carried over the PA system. He had mounted the stage whilst the fight had been going on. Chloe had frozen.

‘Please take your seats.’ There was a pause and then, head down, and with quick, definite movements, Chloe obeyed.